MINI announced that they will launch a car-mounted digital assistant in the shape of a cute dog called “Spike” at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18th.
Previously released, Spike is an assistant program with a cartoon image of a British bulldog. Its specific functions have not yet been revealed, but the official claims that it can help car owners understand the “operating philosophy” of their cars, and also strive to establish an “emotional connection” with them.
With MINI’s relatively cute appearance and its target customers, it is indeed a good design to have a small dog on the car. This image even bears some resemblance to the MINI car’s appearance.
MINI’s design director Oliver Heilmer said: “MINI is always synonymous with emotional experience, which is why we have Spike, this unique digital cute pet, on future MINI models. TA is not only our design attempt, but also an indispensable part of the user experience.”
